The Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix 2011 IndyCar Series is just around the corner, with Labor Day Weekend coming up fast. If you’ve been following the Maryland news or driving around downtown Baltimore, you may have noticed that the city is being turned into a racing circuit. The Baltimore Grand Prix is a professional street racing event, with a temporary street racing circuit being constructed in downtown Baltimore.
In late July, cornerstone track walls were set up in front of the Inner Harbor Amphitheater. The two mile, 13 turn street circuit will race around Camden Yards and the Scenic Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore. (See link below to the Maryland Dept. of Transportation’s Baltimore Grand Prix traffic diversion plan.) The 5K pro racing event is sure to be a boon for Baltimore City — attracting visitors and spectators from around Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic states.
There’s something about watching pro race car drivers push their vehicles and their driving abilities to the limit that Americans find exhilarating. Even former Secretary of State General Colin Powell is getting in on the act as the event’s grand marshal. However the Baltimore Grand Prix pro drivers are cautioning fans not to take their “need for speed” behind the wheel of their own cars, trucks, and SUVs.
As a Baltimore car accident injury lawyer knows all too well — speeding causes Maryland traffic accidents, injuries, and deaths. This fact is not lost on pro race car drivers or Maryland police. The Associated Press reported that IndyCar champion Scott Dixon joined Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld earlier this month to announce a partnership between the Smooth Operator campaign and the Baltimore Grand Prix.
Law enforcement officials are out to apprehend aggressive drivers before their speeding causes serious and deadly Maryland car crashes: The Smooth Operator campaign in Maryland and Washington DC has resulted in more than 122,000 citations and warnings for aggressive driving being issued this year.
According to the Associated Press, one third of the 2009 Maryland traffic accident deaths were caused by drivers speeding. So while the Baltimore Grand Prix website promises fans will be treated to “180 mph on the streets of Baltimore” (see link below) — that doesn’t mean police will be giving civilian drivers a free pass on Labor Day weekend. They’ll be cracking down on aggressive driving, which includes speeding, tailgating, lane changing, running red lights and stop signs, and other reckless driving behaviors that put Maryland motorists in danger.
Illegal street racing and drag racing causes serious injuries and claims lives in Maryland — a highly dangerous practice carried out on back roads, side streets, and highways (see link below to article about Maryland illegal drag racing deaths). So this Labor Day Weekend — or any time you’re behind the wheel — leave the fast and furious driving to the professionals and the Baltimore Grand Prix race track.
Related Maryland Injury Attorney Articles:
Maryland Vehicular Homicide Bill : Drivers Who Cause Fatal Auto Accidents Should Get Tougher Penalties, Grieving Families Say (Feb. 28, 2011)
Maryland Car Accident on I-70 Kills Two; Police Blame Illegal Street Racing (June 29, 2009)
Sources:
Baltimore Grand Prix drivers discourage aggressive off-track driving
Associated Press in The Republic Aug. 2, 2011
Baltimore Grand Prix (official site)
Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Baltimore Grand Prix Diversion Plan